Convertible wardrobe-handbag



July 13, 1937. H. B. MARBURY E1- AL 2,087,211

CONVERTIBLE WARDROBE HANDBAG Filed Jan. 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIILLLIIIHIIII llLLlLljlHllllllllllllll "I." rrvv nun" nu July 13, 1937. H. B. MARBURY ET AL 2,087,211

CONVERTIBLE WARDROBE HANDBAG Filed Jan. 29, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pltfllted July 13, 1931.

CONVERTIBLE WARDROBE-HANDBAG Herbert B. Marbury and Roy 0. Jones, Atlanta,

Ga.,- Atlanta. Ga.

gnors to Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills,

Application January 29, 1936, Serial No. 61,408

1 Claim. (01. 190-43) Generically this invention relates to clothes containers, but it more especially is directed to -ing the flap in closed.position.

. An important object 'f this invention is the provision of a substantially flatflexible sacklike container adapted to normally support: therein clothes and the like in wardrobe fashion when in extended position, and adapted to be folded and secured in folded position toprovide a handbag.

' Qne of the important objects of thisinvention is the provision of a combination wardrobe, travel and handbag or container of this character having supporting means forsuits of clothes or the like, and a cut out portion in the front sur-' face constituting a closure flap and fastening means therefore permittin ready access to said clothes, a compartment ope on the inner surface of the container, opposite 'to said cut out portion and adapted to contain shirts and the like, an opening formed in the rear of said container having suitable fastening means, and adapted to permit ready access to said compartment without interfering with the first mentioned opening and irrespective of whether the container is in extended or folded position. v 1

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a combination wardrobe,

' travel and handbag or container of this character having an improvedhanger structure including a swivel or link connection between the hanger' body and its supporting: hook, so that said hook may be engaged in its supporting ring without tilting-the hanger with the clothes, and permittingthe insertion orselective removal of different articles.- or clothing withoutdimcultyfiand an formed in the front surface of such dimensions. and disposedat such an angle as to the interior of the con- {tamer-and the clothes carried by said hangers,

cut out 'portionfconstituting a closure for, fastening means,'

at one e e formed and rack means carried by the inner surface of said flap adapted to carry neckties and the like and prevent wrinkling thereof during the handling of the container.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of an airtight, waterproof, dustproof travelbag, adapted to support therein clothes in wardrobe fashion and to be normally suspended in extended position when traveling by automobile, train, bus, plane, or steamer, and instantly convertible into a handbag by simply folding the bag upon itself withits free end detachably secured to one side thereof.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a combination travel bag and handbag constructed from a one-piece blank ;a.dapted to" normally support therein clothes in =wardrobe fashion when in extended position, so

constructed as to eliminate interior obstructions tending to wrinkle the clothes when folded to .provide a handbag, said bag being airtight when closed whether in extended or folded positio and constituting a permanent'moth and dust repellant sealed clothes container when not bein used for traveling purposes, said container adapted to maintain the clothes innon-wrinkled icondition, and instantly available as a travel and handbag when desired.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of our improved con- .vertible handbag in open position.

Fig.2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2-4 of 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1, but with the front flap closed.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of-the handbag or container. 7 I

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing. the front flap closed and back open.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device folded to constitute a handba The types of luggage cases orhandbags with.

whichwe are familiar have proven deficient in many ways, such as being too bulky, too expen sive to produce, having foldover flaps, etc., causing wrinkling of the clothes when folded, incapable of .use as a handbag and also as a wardrobe container when traveling and as a clothes container when not in use for traveling, and it was to overcome such deficiencies and to provide a substantially flat, flexible, airtight, waterproof, dustproof wardrobe container while being transported by land, air, or water, having an auxiliary compartment yet instantly foldable into a handbag adapted for'manual transportation as desired and without causing wrinkling or mussing of the contents, and constructed to permit ready and separate access to the container proper and the auxiliary compartment, that we designed the combination travel and handbag forming the subject matter of this invention.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there is shown a travelbag A in which principally clothes are adapted to be normally carried wardrobe fashion. The luggage case or travel bag A is formed from a one-piece substantially.rectangular blank of flexible material such as suede, leather, or the like transversely folded upon itself as at l and with its side edges and curved end edges turned inwardly in overlapping relation and stitched with a liner strip or insert 2 interposed therebetween and extending to the exterior so as to form a water and airtight seam and enhance the appearance of the bag.

In ,order to provide an opening B of proper size, yet so designed as to permit complete access to the interior of the bag and the expeditious insertion therein and removal therefrom of clothes and other articles, the front side or face 3 is cut forming a slot 3' substantially conform ing to the contour of said upper edge from a point 4 spaced from one side edge and from the upper edge transversely to a point 5 spaced from the opposite side edge and downwardly to 6, thereby forming a substantially triangular fiap I having a hinge-like fold line 8 extending diagonally from the starting point 4 of said out to the end 6.

In order to lock and hold the flap l in closed position, a tape (a) is secured by stitching (b) to the under surface of side 3 along the edge of the opening B and a similar tape (a) similarly secured along the periphery of the flap with their meeting edges extending substantially to the center of the slot when the flap is in closed position. Suitable cooperating fastening means 9 may be applied to the meeting edges of the respective tapes, comprising the well known form of interlocking metallic eyes or loops H) which are moved into and out of interlocking engagement by means of a slide ll provided with an operating tab l2. By drawing the slide II in one direction, the elements of the fastener are interlocked and the flap 1 is moved to and held in closed sealed position. By drawing or pulling the slide in the opposite direction, the elements of the fastening means are disengaged causing the flap to automatically move to open position. It is therefore apparent that the movement of slide ll not only fastens and unfastens the flap but at the same time effects, without other aid, movement of the flap from complete open to complete closed position, as desired. In this connection, it will be noted that the metallic elements [0 of fastening means 9 when in interlocking or bag sealing relation are positioned in slot 3' and below the exterior surface of the bag.

A tab (0), in the present instance, substantially shield-shaped is suitably secured to the bag at the ends 4 and 6, respectively, of slot 3 as a reinforcement and protection to the ends, respectively, of the slot and hinge fold 8 of said flap.

which are also adapted to add to the appearance of the bag.

The ends it of handle l4 are interposed between and extend beyond the upper meeting edgesof the seek or bag A and are secured by the stitching l' uniting the said edges. While in the present instance the bag and handle are shown as preferably constructed of waterproof suede, either or both may be constructed of any suitable material. Each of said ends l3 of handle I4 is divided and tacked or otherwise suitably secured to opposite sides of a hanger support l5 constructed of wood or any suitable material of a length equal to the interior width of the sack and curved to conform to the contour of its upper end, so that the weight of the bag will be distributed over said upper end.

Support IE not only effects an even distribution of the weight of the sack over its upper end, but maintains the shape of the sack or bag at all times and additionally constitutes a supporting medium for articles of clothing placed on one or more of the clothes hangers l6 detachably supported by the anchor screw I'I threadedly or otherwise secured to said support IS. The hook portion (11) of the respective hangers I8 is connected by the link or swivel connection (e) to the body of the hanger, so that when a suit of clothes or other article of clothing is supported on said hanger iii, the hanger will not have to' be tilted in order to engage hook (d) with anchor screw II, which owing to space is an important item, such connection also permits free movement of said hangers so that different articles of clothing may be selectively and easily removed and replaced in the container.

A substantially rectangular piece of flexible material it which may be of the same material as the lining has one longitudinal edge secured by a line of stitching l9 to the inner surface of the rear side 20 approximately in alignment with the upper or transverse edge of the opening B. The lower edge of the material is folded upwardly upon itself and secured to said side 20 by a line of stitching II to provide a blouse-like effect which not only increases the capacity range of the compartment 22, adapted to contain shirts and other articles of apparel, but maintains said articles in a substantially flat, smooth condition. Said compartment is open at both ends, and one end or mouth 23 is spaced from one edge of the bag so as to permit ready access to the compartment. Positioning the compartment with its mouth or receiving end spaced from the edge of the sack and directly opposite to the widest portion of opening B, not only renders it easy to insert the desired articles in, and remove them from said compartment, but likewise renders it possible to accomplish the same by efiecting only a partial opening of flap I which is desirable when the compartment only is desired to be reached.

A sectional fastening element 24, in the present instance of the well known snap fastener type, is suitably secured to side lintermediate the edges and points 4 and 5, respectively, and a similar element is secured to flap 1 adjacent its upper edge. The complemental sections 25 are suitably secured to the lower edge of bag A, so that when it is desired to convert the wardrobe travel bag A into a handbag C it is only necessary to transversely fold said bag upon itself as at 26 and bring the elements .24 and 25 into interlocking engagement. The handbag may be reconverted into the wardrobe bag by simply disengaging fastening elements 24 and 25. In this connection it will be noted that only one handle I4 is employed, the same being common to both forms A and C.

Access as above described may be had to compartment 22 through opening B, when the bag is suspended by handle I4,but as this can only be done when the bag is in extended position, and since it is often necessary to gain access to said compartment for the purpose of removing handkerchiefs and the like, it has been.found expedient and desirable to provide means for gaining access to compartment 22 without having to disturb any of the contents of the container and Without having to first unfold the container, and which we accomplished by forming a slot or cut out portion 21 in the back or rear side 20,

' and having secured therein, a closure and fastening structure similar to that described in connection with opening B, namely, (a), (b), 9, Ill, ll, and 12, except as to the action of flap 1, as will be well understood. A necktie or scarf rack structure D comprising the spaced loop or strap members 28 and 29, secured by brads 30 or other suitable fastening means, are mounted on the inner surface of flap 1.

The operation and versatility of our improved light weight, compact, combined travel bag and handbag would seem to be clear from the above description.

From the above it is apparent that we have designed a unique combined wardrobe bag and handbag, manufacturable at a minimum of cost, adapted if desired to be supported in extended position when being transported by automobile.

train, bus, plane, or steamer, affording a compact way of carrying suits and other articles without wrinkling, etc., eliminating troublesome packing and unpacking, providing a light, conveniently handled protection for said suits, the latter being instantly available by simply moving the slide fastener member to complete flap opening position, or only sufficiently to partially open said flap if other articles such as shirts are desired; and from this point to reconvert the wardrobe bag, simply close the slide fastener, transversely fold the bag, snap the complemental fastening elements into interlocking engagement, and a campact handbag is the result.

Further, if it is desired to gain access to the auxiliary compartment without interfering with suits, dresses, or other articles carried by the container and without opening said flap closure 1, it is only necessary to move in opening direction the slide fastener normally closing opening 21, whereby access is had to auxiliary compartment 22 for the insertion or removal of shirts, socks, handkerchiefs, underwear, or other wearing apparel, and irrespective of whether the container is in extended or folded position.

Although in practice we have found that the form of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, to be the most eflicient and practical; yet, realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of our invention will necessarily vary, we desire to emphasize that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, and without enumerating variations and equivalents, what we desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claim:

A wardrobe travel bag foldable into a container of the brief case type comprising a flat flexible sack container adapted to principally contain wearing apparel suspended from its upper end, one face of the container having an opening made by a horizontal cut in said face running adjacent the top from one side to the other and joining a vertical out running parallel and ad- Jacent to one side forming a diagonally hinged flap, means normally securing the flap in closed and sealing position, said container adapted to be transversely folded substantially central of its length into a brief case like handbag, means for maintaining the bag in folded position, an auxiliary compartment underlying the apparel and positioned wholly above asid medial fold line and having an open end facing and spaced laterally from the side edge of the container and the vertical edge of the container opening, the rear' face of the container being cut to present an opening to said compartment, and sealing means normally closing said rear opening, whereby the compartment and its contents are not afiected by said line of fold and ready access may be had through said front opening and open end to the compartment without disturbance to or hindrance by the suspended contents of the container and independent access to'said compartment may be had through said rear opening irrespective of whether the container is in extended or folded position.

HERBERT B. MARBURY. ROY C. JONES. 

